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Const. Wendy Drummond said a male, white suspect fled the scene north of College St. after the shooting.

A woman screams and asks about her kids at the police line near the cafe. (CARLOS OSORIO / TORONTO STAR) | Order this photo

One man is dead and another was sent to hospital after multiple shots were fired at Sicilian Sidewalk Cafe in Little Italy on College Street on Monday afternoon. (CARLOS OSORIO / TORONTO STAR) | Order this photo

By Robyn Doolittle and Yamri TaddeseStaff Reporters

Mon., June 18, 2012

On sunny Monday afternoon, the streets of Little Italy were buzzing with the excited cheers of thousands of soccer fans who had squeezed into every restaurant, café, bar, and ice creamery with a television to watch Italy take on Ireland in the Euro Cup quarter-final qualifier.

With her 6-month-old daughter in tow, Jessica Oliveira was heading through this circus on College St. on her way to the bank. Just minutes after 3:30 p.m., her walk took her past the Sicilian Sidewalk Cafe, a beloved and historic gelato parlour, at the exact moment a masked gunman open fired on a crowded patio.

“There were shots. It was terrifying. People screamed. I grabbed my baby and just ran,” she said.

According to those who were there, five consecutive shots tore through the air. A 35-year-old man on the patio slumped over dead. Another was injured. Glass shattered. The adults grabbed their children and anyone else’s “like footballs” and just ran, said 27-year-old Dyane Campbell who was eating lunch across the street, facing the fray.

A man tripped and fell on a bike trying to escape. A frightened child clutched their ice cream cone, said Shasha Nakhai, who was heading to the post office.

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This brazen public attack had witnesses and local residents questioning how safe the city is. It was just a little more than two weeks ago that another gunman opened fire in the Eaton Centre.

“I’m freaking out. It makes you wonder if it’s time to move,” said Oliveira.

Local Councillor Mike Layton, who lives just a few blocks away, said these types of frightening incidents underline the importance of passing stricter gun control legislation.

“Access to guns is the problem. This should be what we take away from this,” he said.

Police say the shooter was wearing a white construction hat, an orange safety vest with a green fluorescent “X” on the front and back. He's about 6-feet tall with dirty blond hair. A white mask covered his face. He was seen racing north on Montrose Ave. Investigators are asking locals to look on their property for things that don’t belong to them and to call police if they find anything.

It is believed to be a targeted attack, unrelated to the Eaton Centre shooting. A police officer driving to the scene collided with a cyclist a few blocks west at Dovercourt Rd. The Special Investigations Unit is probing the incident, police said.

Reached Monday night, Det. Mike Carbone said they still could not confirm the victim’s name. Those in the community identified the victim as a regular who lives half a block north on Crawford St. A group of people sitting on the front steps did not want to comment.

“No one is going to talk to you so just get out,” said one man.

There are numerous security cameras in the area, which police are reviewing.

The second victim suffered “non-life-threatening injuries,” but Const. Wendy Drummond would not say if he was hit with a bullet.

“It could have been much worse,” said Drummond. “The area was packed.”

One victim was taken away by ambulance around 3:45 p.m. As of 6 p.m. a body remained at the scene covered by a tarp.

A girl who neighbours identified as a victim's girlfriend left in tears surrounded by friends.

Witness Dyane Campbell said the chaos began with five consecutive shots.

“They were right after the each other. A hundred people were on the patio. People were screaming and running, picking up children like footballs,” she said.

“That someone would do this in a public place is just disgusting. You want to kill each other — whatever. But don’t traumatize innocent children. Rude isn’t the right word, but you know what, it is rude.”

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